


Service to the state

by boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore



Series: Service to the state [1]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alcohol, First Dates, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Smut, Sneaking Around, cardassian romance novel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-27 00:26:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14413713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore/pseuds/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore
Summary: Julian discovers that Garak wrote a smutty book about the two of them.  He investigates.





	Service to the state

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cyrelia_J](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyrelia_J/gifts).



> Based on a prompt given to me by cyrelia-J

It began innocently enough. 

Julian and Garak were having their usual lunch in the replimat.   It was crowded and loud.  There were five ships waiting for repairs, and their crews were rotating through to enjoy some well-earned R&R.    Vids played on every screen, ranging from sporting events to the latest news on Dominion movements. It was late June on earth and Julian had a hard time taking his eyes off the screen.  Winbledon, the oldest tennis tournament on earth, had started this week.

_ That could’ve been me _ .  Julian had considered becoming a tennis pro before continuing on to medical school; he’d been that good.

He returned his attention to his dining companion.  Julian had to lean closer to hear Garak’s next words over the din and he laughed.  Clearly Julian’s insistence that Garak try sushi had been a disaster.

Julian eagerly dug into his own salmon roll while Garak waited in line to order more food. As he turned back to the vids, he noticed a PADD sitting across the table.  A few words were visible, among them his name.

Curious, he couldn’t resist sneaking a closer look.  He glanced furtively at the replicator. Garak was still waiting, oblivious to his companion.  No one was watching. Why should they be?

He skimmed through the first page and his face flushed.   It read like an earth romance novel, except, if it were possible, more explicit.  He looked over his shoulder again. 

_ Garak wrote this?   _

Daring to read a bit more, he blushed furiously.  Not that he’d admit it to anyone, but he was rather enjoying this.  He’d had plenty of fantasies about Garak, and seeing them on the page was, well-

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard footsteps behind him.  As quickly as he could, he returned his attention to the sushi in front of him, eating with his usual gusto.

“Really, doctor, I simply can’t understand your fascination with eating raw fish.”

Julian feigned an air of superiority.

“It’s a delicacy on earth.  Perhaps your taste buds are simply not developed enough to appreciate it.  Anyway, it’s replicated fish; there’s nothing raw about it.”

They finished their lunch, chatting about nothing, and Julian retired to his quarters for a quick nap before his ship ended.

_ Hands moved over his body.  Garak sat behind him, reaching around to stroke his chest, his thighs, his hands inching towards- _

Julian woke with a start.   Sweat dripped down his face.  He didn’t feel rested at all.  As he remembered the dream, he told himself it had nothing to do with what he read earlier.  There was nothing wrong with an innocent fantasy. All right, so some of it just happened to match what Garak had written.  Mere coincidence. He dismissed the thought, as well as the spring in his step as he strode to sickbay, pushing the notion out of his mind. 

The next few hours passed quickly. It had been a busy shift; it seemed the quiet of the week spurred more leisure activities than usual.   The holodeck injuries were almost comical; officers dressed as cowboys falling off horses, hikers sliding down embankments and appearing with sprained ankles and broken legs.  And then the usual line of couples coming in with sex injuries. It never ceased to amaze him how many ways people found to push the boundaries of common sense.

Dax’s voice rang in his head.

_ “Interspecies romance isn’t without its danger.  That’s part of the fun.” _

He blushed as he realized several minutes had gone by as he imagined what injuries might result from some the acts described on Garak’s padd.  

_ Seriously, Julian, get a hold of yourself.  You sound like a hormonal teenager. _

The next week, Julian made it a point to arrive early to the replimat.  It had been a long shift in sickbay, and he was hungry. Garak wouldn’t mind if he started a bit earlier.  

_ It has nothing to do with the book. _

Julian blushed as Garak sat down across from him.

_ Keep it together, Julian.  It’s just lunch. _

“I see, doctor, that you’ve started without me.  At this rate, you’ll have cleaned your plate before I even reach the replicator.”

Julian smiled, almost feeling like himself again.

“You’d best hurry to the line before I do.”

_ Did he dare sneak another peek? _

Glancing over, he was glad to see the replimat was a little busier than normal.  Moving his chair slightly to shield him, Julian leaned over to see what was written on the padd.

He blushed furiously.  Yes, it had certainly taken a different course than a traditional romance novel.   It seemed that Cardassians skipped the poetry and went right down to business. Or were the explicit descriptions of sex a metaphor for budding romance? 

His internal dialogue ceased as he got to the end of the page.  His breath quickened as he read over the descriptions, and his hand began to stray idly downwards before he came to his senses.   It was impossible to leave things unfinished; Julian had to know what happened next. Looking over at the food line, he chanced it, quickly downloading the file onto a spare data rod he just  _ happened _ to have in his pocked.

By the time Garak returned, Julian was almost finished with his meal.

“Ah, you humans never take the time to savor your meals.  It’s a wonder you’ve discovered any decent food at all!”

They ate in companionable silence for a time.

“So, doctor, I believe next week’s book selection is yours to choose.”

Julian paused, wheels turning.  

“Some light reading might be nice.  Have you ever read any terran romance novels?”

Was that a flicker of suspicion in Garak’s eyes?  His face was impassive.

“Now, doctor, really.  Light is one thing, but surely that genre would be embarrassingly trite.”

Julian was feeling stubborn.

“I guarantee I can find one you’ll enjoy.  Perhaps some historical fiction.”

“I doubt that, doctor, but feel free to try.”

The banter continued, and Julian kept us his end without much attention, his mind on the data rod in his pocked.  When they finally finished, he practically ran to his quarters, intending to read the work cover to cover.

_ Perhaps I'll just finish up some paperwork first.  Or tidy my quarters. Shower before bed? _

_ Why was he so nervous? _

It was ridiculous; he was behaving completely irrationally.   He sprawled out on the couch, intending to close his eyes and clear his head for a moment.  The data rod was still on his console when he woke early the next morning.

At his desk in sickbay, he read through the casualty reports for the fifth time without retaining any of it. 

He heard a voice from behind him.

“Doctor?  Doctor Bashir?  Are you all right?”

_ Focus, Julian.  Surely that enhanced brain of yours can handle one shift in sickbay. _

After his adolescent spout of panic the night before, Julian had spent most of the morning reading Garak’s story.  It was a wonder he was able to concentrate well enough to remember to show up for his shift at all.

Each time Julian finished reading, he put it aside to complete other tasks, and within 3 minutes, he was back in bed reading it again.  To better understand this new Cardassian genre of writing. Critique Garak’s writing style. Analyze the cultural differences in the way intimacy is treated in literature.

Ok, even he didn't believe that.  It  _ was _ , however, the most enjoyable morning he'd spent in bed in recent memory.  He sighed contentedly.

To say it was explicit was the understatement of the year.  Cardassians were clearly far more creative in bed than he’d realized.  The narrative in chapter 3 alone was enough to set his heart racing hours later.  He closed his eyes, picturing the scene, and-

The nurse was speaking again.  He shook his head to clear it. 

“Sorry.  Yes?”

“The patient in bed three needs your attention.”

Returning his attention to his duties, he walked over with a reassuring smile.

Julian looked down at the patient, and his smile froze as he recognized the face.

“Garak,” he said, all business now, “What seems to be the problem?”

There was the tiniest crack in his voice.  Was it his imagination or did Garak look a bit smug?   No, he was simply projecting his own discomfort onto Garak.

_ Come on, Julian, stop torturing yourself.  Just do the examination. _

“I'm having some pain in my stomach.  It was fine at first, but it got worse, and an overzealous young officer insisted on bringing me here.  Really, I’m fine.”

As he said this, he looked directly at Julian, holding eye contact a little longer than usual. 

“It can't hurt to take a look", he said as he ran a tricorder over Garak.

“I don't see a problem.  Where is the pain?”

Garak pointed to a spot on his chest, and Julian reluctantly began a proper, hands-on exam.

He placed his hand on Garak's chest, pressing firmly.   Garak put his hand over Julian's, moving it slowly down his torso.  Was it his imagination, or had Garak trembled a little when Julian's hand slid over his nipples?

“The pain is a little lower, doctor,” Garak said calmly, continuing to guide Julian's hand down his body.

Julian was sweating by this point.  If he'd thought it had been difficult to concentrate before, it was impossible now.

“Right here?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm.  His professional demeanor slipped as Garak guided his hand lower.

“More like here,” Garak sighed, closing his eyes a bit.

“Here?” His voice was almost a whisper.  He wondered if Garak could feel his pulse racing.

“Close,” said Garak softly, voice quiet, eyes on Julian.

Garak guided Julian’s hand down slowly to brush the top of his pants.

At this point, his breath was coming in short bursts, and he wasn't even trying to hide it.  Their eyes locked and several beats passed.

“Doctor?” the nurse interrupted, and Julian dropped his hand immediately.

The young man looked confused.

_ Right _ , he thought.   I'm  _ meant _ to be examining Garak.

“It seems the pain is near your gallbladder.  Do you have gallstones?” he asked in the most professional voice he could muster.

“I believe I do.  My doctor on Cardassian never seemed very concerned by them.   Should I be worried? “

“Not unless the pain continues.   If you're still feeling discomfort in a few days, come and see me again. “

Garak looked at him for a long moment.

“I will. “

Garak stood up as Julian was called away to assist with another patient.  He practically ran in the other direction, Garak‘s eyes on his back as he hurried away.

The next morning, there was a message on his desk from Garak.

He punched in his access code.

_ “I wonder if we could we push back our lunch today?  I'm still feeling rather under the weather and I daresay some rest would do me good.  How about dinner in my quarters at 1900 hours? I'll order us something interesting and you can give me a follow-up exam. I do hope you occasionally make house calls.” _

Julian shivered with anticipation.  A house call just this once would do; he would enjoy continuing the examination.  

Perhaps after dinner they could try out some of the scenes from Garak’s book.  Julian was willing to do some hands-on research to help Garak’s burgeoning writing career. 

He laughed out loud, imagining Garak’s expression if Julian suggested just that, and then blushed as he realized just how appealing the idea was.

_ Get a grip, Julian. _  Garak enjoyed making him squirm; the message was just harmless banter.  They’d probably just have dinner and discuss this week's book. 

_ Oh, fuck.   _ He’d chosen a romance novel, a historical fiction series called Outlander.  

_ Should he make an excuse?   Fabricate a medical emergency of some sort?  _

_ No,  _ he decided.  He was overthinking this. 

Besides, he wanted to go.

He sent a quick message agreeing to dinner and went about his morning routine, bustling about, tending to the errands and little chores that wait for a rare day off.    

Concentrating on anything was impossible.  Fantasies came unbidden all day long, and by the end of it, he was practically teeming with anticipation.

Julian was still in his quarters at 1830.   The room resembled the remnants of a house ravaged by hurricane-strength winds.  His closet was empty, and clothes were strewn on the bed, the table, the couch, even the floor.

He was starting to panic.

Of course, his uniform was out.  This was dinner; proper etiquette would be civilian clothes.

_ Something nice but casual.  One of the tunics Garak had sewn for him? _

His thoughts ran in circles.  He idly wondered if he should prescribe himself a mild sedative.

_ Garak likes this color on me.  Does that matter?  _

Eventually he eyed a tunic that was cut a bit lower than his uniform.  Julian remembered that Cardassians considered exposing the neck to be a bit scandalous. 

_ Would Garak notice? _  Probably.   _ Do I want him to know I chose it for him? _

He blushed as he realized the answer was a resounding yes.  

Julian dressed himself, taking care to place the tunic just right, and eyed himself in the mirror with satisfaction.  

_ Was this a date? _ _ Did he want it to be? _

Julian pushed the thought aside and made his way to Garak’s quarters.

Garak answered the door in a blue flowing shirt.  The color brought out his eyes, and the collar just barely covered his neckline.

_ Was the effort for him?  Or just Garak’s tendency towards dressing for the occasion?  _

Julian found himself wondering what it would feel like to touch those ridges, and the urge to run his fingers over the edges of them was almost irresistible.

Julian looked around for something to do, feeling supremely uncomfortable. 

_ Where should he sit?  Should he help Garak set the table?   _

He could swear he saw a gleam in Garak’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant.  Was he enjoying Julian’s discomfort?

“Sit, sit, my dear.  Dinner will be ready in a moment.”

Garak bustled about, bringing out a serving of tojal with a heaping of yamok sauce.  Julian had never gotten quite used to the flavor, but Garak insisted it was an acquired taste. 

As Garak arranged the food, his arm brushed lightly against Julian’s chest.   It lingered a moment and his breath quickened. 

Julian tried to relax, but each time Garak came near, his mind wandered back to the steamy scenes in chapter three.  It began with a candlelight dinner and two glasses of kamar, and things heated up very quickly after that. He spied a bottle of kanar on the coffee table and flushed.

Garak seemed not to have noticed at all as he placed a pitcher of water, rokassa juice, and a pot of red leaf tea on the table.  Julian smiled at the thoughtfulness. He loved that blend.

Dinner was pleasant enough, but Julian was too keyed up to enjoy it.  It seemed that every time he started to relax, there was an unexpected touch.  An arm brushing his as Garak brought out the next course, a leg brushing his knee as Garak shifted in his seat, a touch on his hand to emphasize a point in conversation.  When Garak leaned over to refill his glass, his breath hot on Julian's face, he could barely contain himself. He wanted Garak to whisper in his ear, bring his lips to Julian's exposed collarbone, and bring that scene to life.  

“… and I feel the Andorian ambassador would do far better with a more modest style, but you know diplomats.  Too confident for their own good, I daresay. I am, after all, just a simple tailor.”

Julian realized Garak had been talking that whole time.  He seemed maddeningly sanguine about the extent of their physical contact, and completely unaware of Julian's reactions.

_ Was Garak toying with him?  Teasing? Or just simply clueless?  Could this just be a casual dinner, plain and simple? _

If not for the book, he'd be convinced he was completely misreading the situation.  

His breathing quickened as he glanced at the bottle of kanar, and Garak followed his gaze.

“The kanar is for later.  I daresay we’ll need it to discuss the book you chose for tonight.”

Julian’s face flushed as he remembered the romance novel he'd recommended. 

It was going to be a long night.

Sitting on the couch after dinner, they discussed the book animatedly.  After 3 glasses of kanar, all of Julian’s nerves were gone.

“The critics loved the series.  It was #1 on the bestseller list for a time, and it was even remade into a television series.”

“On earth.  Standards are hardly high for earth literature.”

“Yes, yes, on earth.  Of course, Cardassian literature is always superior.  I suppose you have some samples of Cardassian romance novels in your quarters?”

_ Shit _ .  Why did he say that?  Was he trying to provoke Garak into revealing his secret?

Garak smiled and let the comment pass.

“You seem a bit tense, my dear,” and began to massage his shoulders.

Julian knew he should pull away, but the warmth from the kanar had spread, and he simply closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation.  He began to relax bit by bit, leaning back against Garak’s firm body.

Garak stroked his neck gently, and he bit back a moan.  This progression seemed familiar, but the haze of the kanar clouded his thinking.

As Garak stood up and Julian regained his balance, it dawned on him.  The series of events were an almost exact duplication of the events in the book.   Assuming he was correct, the next step would be dessert.

He looked over to see Garak carrying a tray of pastries.  His mouth watered and he felt a little woozy. Garak had replicated a selection of his favorite treats. 

Garak settled back on the couch, idly playing with Julian’s hair.  It seemed like he was barely aware of doing it. If this was a seduction, it was well crafted.

_ Julian.  What else could it be?   This is almost an exact replication of chapter three. _

Garak didn’t know that Julian had read it, though.  Was it possible that it was unconscious, that Garak was fulfilling a personal fantasy without realizing it?

Seeing the gleam in Garak’s eyes, he dismissed the thought.  He knew exactly what he was doing. And Julian had just enough kanar in him to let him do it.

Garak insisted on feeding him bites of every pastry, and despite his protests, sighed happily.  They really were quite good.

He could only imagine what he looked like, being hand-fed on the couch by a man 20 years his senior.  Did he have any dignity? But he was enjoying every minute of it. Especially since he knew exactly what came after.

Speaking of which, he heard a faint sound behind him.  Soft music was playing through the speakers. Garak poured them another glass of kanar and he felt himself relax even more. 

_ Go with it. _  It was what he’d wanted to happen from the instant he read the book.

Garak cupped his face and kissed him gently, pausing to gauge Julian’s response. What he saw must have reassured him, because he pulled Julian closer and deepened the kiss, gently pushing him down on the couch and moving on top of him. 

Julian closed his eyes as Garak ran his hands down his shirt slowly, moving his hands under his shirt as he made his way back up.  He’d been wanted this for so long. If he remembered right-

He did.  His shirt came off and Garak leaned in to kiss down his collarbone.  He sucked on a particularly sensitive spot and Julian moaned in pleasure.

Garak moved to whisper in Julian's ear, and Julian managed a nod.  He felt Garak place a blindfold over his eyes. He sighed happily and relaxed even more deeply.

_ I think you'll enjoy this more if you don't know what's coming next. _

Ah, the irony.  He knew exactly what would happen next. 

Garak gently removed his pants and smiled as he ran his hands over the tiny briefs underneath.  He’d leave those for now. Julian arched into the touch, but Garak removed his hand and instead led him to the bed at the far end of his quarters.  Unable to see, Julian was a bit unsteady on his feet and gratefully sank into the soft mattress. 

A moment later, he began to sweat copiously.  Garak had turned up the heat. Literally. 

He’d known it was coming, of course, but he wasn’t prepared for the intensity of the sensation.  It was oddly pleasant. His muscles began to relax, bit by bit, and beads of sweat trickled down his body. 

He felt Garak’s lips trace the drops, his tongue pleasantly cool on Julian’s hot skin, and moaned in pleasure as they licked the moisture from his neck and chest, swirling, teasing, and stroking every inch of his torso until Julian was gasping, drowning in the sensations.  Garak’s tongue moved down. And further down. And still further. He lifted Julian’s legs and settled between them, hands squeezing his ass, mouth millimeters from Julian’s erect penis, and began licking behind the balls, moving up slowly until he tongue entered Julian’s opening, flicking inside, and Julian shuddered.      

A half hour later, he was ready to jump out of his skin.  Somehow, in reading the steamy scene, he hadn’t realized just how  _ long _ it would take to enact.  His cock had gone from pleasantly heavy to positively aching, and he felt like the slightest touch would set him off.  Of course, Garak’s hands stayed far away, focusing on his bottom, squeezing, stroking, occasionally pausing to tease with his tongue, pushing in and out of his hole.  It was agony; each time he was close, Garak pulled away.

After what felt like an interminable amount of time, Garak finally, finally moved his mouth to Julian’s throbbing cock, licking and sucking, and his orgasm came almost instantly.  He shook for a full minute afterwards, and Garak held him tight, stroking his sides until he calmed. 

Julian was shattered; his head felt heavy and the heat was lulling him softly to sleep.  Garak removed the blindfold, gently coaxed him to turn over, and rubbed his back and shoulders until he heard long, even breaths.

Garak turned on his side, resting his head on his arm and snuggling into the blanket.  He smiled as he regarded Julian’s long, sleek figure, arms splayed in front of him like a terran superhero.   _ Ah, the things we do for love,  _ he thought, remembering the old graphic novels Julian had once insisted they read over lunch. 

Garak finally grew tired and closed his eyes for just a moment.  When he opened them, it was already morning. 

An hour later, Julian awoke in utter confusion.  Garak was sitting at the table wearing a robe and sipping a hot drink. 

He smiled nervously at Julian and said, “Raktajino?”

_ Why was Garak in his quarters?   Wait, these weren’t his quarters.  _

_Julian looked around.  The bed was ornately decorated,_ with _a walnut headboard and_ _beautifully made with satin sheets and a colorful comforter.  Garak sat at a desk which curv_ ed _around a corner_ of the room _, displaying a replicated old-style pen and ink container along with his computer console and keyboard._

_ A small kitchenette was showcased around the corner, with a range, a refrigerator, and a small oven.  Who cooked these days? _

_ Where was he? _

“Yes, please,” he said, taking the raktajino. 

Garak handed him the drink and wrapped a robe around his shoulders.  It was soft and warm, and he looked at Garak gratefully. 

As the morning haze wore off, he began to remember the events of last night, and he lay back in satisfaction.  Garak was right about the superiority of Cardassian romance novels. 

Garak visibly relaxed and lay beside him on the couch, resting his head in Julian’s lap.  It was surprisingly comfortable.

“Did you sleep well, my dear?”

Julian sighed contentedly, and said, “As well as I’ve slept in weeks.  My head is pounding, though. I think I drank a pitcher’s worth of kanar last night.  How are you fine?”

“Cardassian biology is far more resilient than human physiology, my dear doctor.”

At Julian’s dubious look, he said, “Mila had a foolproof recipe for hangovers. Here, try some.”

Julian hesitated.  It looked positively dreadful.  Cautiously sipping the concoction, he was surprised to find himself feeling a bit better. 

“That's amazing.  Perhaps I should replicate some to keep in sickbay.”

“Speaking of sickbay, my dear, you never did finish that examination.”

Julian's pulse quickened as Garak led him to the bed.

“You'll have to disrobe for me to do a proper exam.”

Garak smiled and said, “Perhaps you could help me there.”

Julian moved his hands slowly under Garak's shirt, caressing his chest as he went, and deftly pulled it over his head.  He hooked his thumbs inside Garak's pants, pulling them down as his palms ran down Garak's bare legs.

“Hm,” he said, running his hands back up Garak's body, “maybe you'd best show me where the pain is.  First, though, let's get rid of this.”

He meticulously removed Garak's briefs, marveling briefly at the way they accentuated the curves in his figure.  Garak’s attention to detail was impressive.

Garak shivered.  He’d turned down the heat so that Julian would be more comfortable, and it was cold.  Goose bumps appeared on his skin, and he wanted Julian’s warm hands on his body, now.

Working to stay calm, he guided Julian's hand down his chest, moaning as they lingered on his favorite spots.  Julian smiled as Garak told him the pain had spread inexplicably all over his body. Julian was determined to conduct a full and comprehensive exam.  He’d always prided himself on being through.

Garak lay back as Julian took over the exploration, hands moving down, thumb absentmindedly tracing circles on his skin.  He ran his hand up Garak's thigh, reaching over to examine his everted cock. 

He stroked it lightly, saying, “This area is a little swollen.  I think it needs a more thorough exam.”

Garak moaned in response as Julian continued to explore its length.

“You know, some andorian doctors in the 22 nd century used to claim they could taste the sickness in a patient,”, said Julian, looking at Garak intently, “I think they may have been on to something.  Do you mind if I try-“

Garak nodded instantly, not taking his eyes off Julian's.

Julian bent down to kiss Garak's stomach, exploring his body with slow, circular strokes of his tongue until he reached Garak's swollen penis.  He took it in his mouth, licking, sucking, nibbling until Garak cried out. 

By the time he was done, Garak's pain was all but gone.

Julian was halfway through his shift when he noticed that he was whistling under his breath.  He looked around to see one of the nurses hiding a smile.

“Sorry.  I can’t carry a tune to save my life; you should get hazard pay for listening to that.”

It was a quiet day in sickbay.  The holosuites were closed for maintenance, the chief had the engineering crew running diagnostics, and the crew of the defiant were running battle simulations. 

Julian was charting in his office.  Every few minutes a smile broke out on his face for no apparent reason. The last 24 hours had been blissful. 

Except for the guilt.  Garak had no idea Julian had read his work.  It was personal, the content almost as sensitive as a diary.   How could he have done that?

Despite the playfulness of the seduction, he could tell that Garak had genuine feelings for him.  He put so much effort into the evening, and he was so concerned with Julian’s comfort. It was obvious Garak had wanted this for a long time, and the vulnerability in his eyes that morning had cut through him.

Julian wanted it too; it was obvious what he was walking into.  And yet he had hardly been careful with Garak’s feelings. In fact, he’d betrayed his trust in the worst way. 

How could he tell him now? 

Garak wasn’t stupid; he’d never believe it was an accident.  And Julian wanted to set the record straight in any case.

He finished up his shift and went back to his quarters for a shower and nap.  They hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. 

As he drifted off to sleep, the thought ran through his head again.   Garak wasn't stupid.

_ What were the odds he just happened to leave his padd lying around during lunch? _

A few hours later, he banged on Garak’s door.  There was no answer. He knocked harder.

Garak answered the door in his robe, looking sleepy.

“Julian?  Are you all right?”

“All that talk about Cardassian romance.  Did you know I’d read it?”

Garak started to feign ignorance but reconsidered when he saw the look on Julian’s face.

He drew a breath and said simply, “I’ve been working on it for several months.  I wanted to share it with you. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist sneaking a peek.”

Julian saw a book wrapped in the corner, and Garak went to retrieve it.

“I planned to give you this weeks ago, but I could never work up the courage.  I decided it would be easier to allow you to ‘discover it.'”

He looked down, clearly embarrassed at being caught out.

Julian felt a surge of protectiveness and gently tilted Garak’s head up, kissing him gently.  He led Garak to the couch and sat beside him, pulling his head into his lap and stroking his hair.

Opening the package carefully, he admired the cover and smiled.

“I loved it.  Can I ask, though, what possessed you to write a cardassian romance?”

Garak looked puzzled.

“A romance?  It was a serious literary work.  Strictly amateur writing, of course, but based on a branch of Cardassian literature focused on service to the state.”

_ Aren’t they all? _

Julian caught himself before voicing the thought.  He’d been insensitive enough for the evening. He stayed silent, listening attentively as Garak continued.

“Cardassian depictions of romance and sex are a metaphor for the devotion to the Cardassian people.  A literal description of a more abstract and deeper relationship between self and state.”

Julian looked closely at Garak.   Damn. He wished he had the ability to know when Garak was telling the truth.

Out loud, he said, “So your feelings for me symbolize duty and patriotism?  It all sounds  _ quite _ romantic when you put it that way.” 

Garak sighed happily as Julian’s hands moved from his hair to stroke his neck.  His head felt heavy and relaxed.

“Well, it is a great honor to be chosen as the object of affection.  Cardassians only bestow this role on those they have a deep connection to.”

He smiled mischievously and continued, “and I daresay it was more fun to write than another genre.”

Garak closed his eyes and reached down to stroke Julian’s thighs.

“Did I tell you there’s a sequel?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
